I love the points that you make here and I am very glad you incorporated the "Matrix" into your explanation of things. The Matrix is a very nice film version of the Allegory. I do agree with you that we may all ultimately be simulations in the cave and the Matrix just asserts the irony of this. I feel their is one downfall to the Matrix though and I think that you demonstrate it in what you said. In the Matrix they present to very different worlds and I think that it is true that Neo merely chooses the "real" world over that of the Matrix merely because it is it is the reality. But what is depicted in the Matrix is the portrayal of two strikingly different worlds and it just happens that the "real" world is one of defeat, fear, poverty, etc. Truthfully as it is portrayed in the Matrix I would rather pick the illusion as opposed to the reality, simply because the illusion offers much more. This point you made above that one may choose to stay in the cave. In Plato's case though I believe that he is implying that the "truth" the "reality" would be regarded by all as perfection if they only took the strength to venture beyond the darkness of what is to them the womb. I suppose I see Plato's idea of reality as many perceive heaven and there are few people I know that wouldn't be happy and willing to go to heaven. But then again I might just be comparing myth to myth here. I suppose the truth is that some of us do "choose" to remain in the cave and we may "choose" that it is the better of the two realities as both may be realities depending on the person. Plato is constructing a sound model of society here, showing us both the differing ideologies and myths of societies. When you look at it this way from a scientific or anthropological standpoint we truly see that both "sides" are equal and both persons believe their side is the truth, the better, and the only side. Which in this case proves what you are saying, unless you look at Plato's reality as surpassing all ideologies and myths of all societies, which is why I compare it to something like heaven or a glorious afterlife, because in most almost all societies a belief in an afterlife exists and are similar in
their descriptions. Perhaps that is the reality that we are all looking for and see as ideal.
-Platonia
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